Daily Prompt: Our ten-minute free-write is back for another round! Tap away on whatever comes to mind, no filters attached. (Feel free to edit later, or just publish as-is).
A note from Pinay New Yorker: For the past couple of months, my posts here have been very spontaneous and I have not been participating in any of the things going on at The Daily Post, a community of bloggers on this platform. A quick search shows that my last attempt at being a part of their Daily Prompts was in April yet with this post. It can only mean that either I have been so prolific and not wanting for any blog prompts, or I have been too lazy to try and write with a set standard or parameters. (That’s the rebel in me.) In any case, I have been trying to “get back” to writing with the community, and looks like this will get me somewhere — this time. So the clock has been set — 10 minutes… let’s see what we come up with.
I just downed two tablets of pain relievers because I have a nasty headache rearing its ugly head somewhere at the back of my brain. It isn’t quite there yet, but I know it’s coming. Give me my meds!
It’s been a rather quiet morning — although not for want of anything to do, but more because the boss is away. There is a lot I need to catch up on, and I’m trying to tick things off my list. The end of the year is always busy for us, until we all go on holiday.
This year is different because I know I’m not going home, “Home” being 10,000 miles away where Christmas begins in September and ends with the Feast of the Three Kings second week of January. (Yes, we have the longest Christmas season ever.) I have started thinking of my Christmas card which I have made every year — well, except for last year.
Pause. There are times when I get stumped and this is one of those times.
Looking back to last year, except for the fact that I surrounded myself with the love of family and friends back in Manila, it wasn’t much of a Christmas for me. Part of me was being torn by anger and hate, and part of me was being crushed by a life-changing disappointment. Yet at that time, I found the greatest strength in the people who have always been there for me. The same people who have rejoiced with me when I found myself in a good place held my hand and saw me through the worst of times. My annual holiday card was the last thing I was thinking of.
This year, my holiday card will be one of the things I want to bring back. Yes, I will make it again. I don’t know yet what design or which way I will go.. what colors or what symbols I will put in. Do I do mixed media or a plain photo card? And it hits me that I have Thanksgiving to worry about first.
And again, I go back to last year’s. There wasn’t much to be thankful for… and I didn’t even bother to cook. We had a good thanksgiving lunch, though, at a fancy place up in Long Island. I think I’m going to go that route again. (Makes my life easier.. and easy is always better.)
I don’t like that I don’t have Manila to look forward to this Christmas, but I’m fine with that. Part of my “journey back” in the last year has been to try and regain my footing, which, I think I’ve had some success with. I am more upbeat about the holidays this year than I was in 2013, and that, in itself is a good thing.
Life goes on, they say.. and I’ve gone through the last 12 months with a better understanding of that phrase. I’m here, am I not? And here is where I am staying.
Pinay New Yorker 